Do you ever look in the mirror and think how fortunate you are, fortunate simply because of the opportunities you have had in life, opportunities you haven’t necessarily worked for but ones that have been handed to you? Time to be honest now. Have you had doors opened for you because of the opportunities which were given to you by your parents, family, friends, and your teachers. Take a moment and think.
In February, last year, a group of students from Greig City Academy came to Lymington Town Sailing Club (LTSC) to give a presentation on how they were planning to take on the Fastnet Race in 2017. For those of us who sail, this might not seem unusual, a group of students with a boat taking on the Fastnet, is that really that out of the ordinary? Little did our audience know that those 11 or so students standing in front a near full
house would capture their attention, and to be honest leave everyone speechless. Greig City Academy is in inner-city London, and their story is an inspiration, driven by a teacher who is doing his very best, and believe us we don’t think he could try any harder, to open opportunities for his students.
To put things into perspective, 73.1% of students who attend Greig City Academy are deemed disadvantaged, and 62.4% of students have English as an additional language. Sailing was not on their radar, yet sailing is now shaping their future.
Since they last spoke at LTSC, they completed in the J.P.Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race, the bumpy breezy year when many decided to return Lymington, they carried on past, out through Hurst Narrows and all the way back round to Cowes. They have had tea with the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace and they have gone on to win several races on the water. Let’s not forget they are out training most weekends, and many more students are queuing up to become involved. The teachers have purchased their own smaller boats to provide more opportunities, and to build for the future.
To top all this, the school can see measurable improvements in the students’ lives away from the sea.
We invite you to come along and listen to the crew’s update on Scaramouche, hear what it’s like to have Lawrie Smith aboard as coach, and what it feels like to be followed by a camera crew producing a TV documentary.
Scaramouche have their entry confirmed into the Fastnet 2017 so please come along to Lymington Town Sailing Club on Saturday 11th February, the talk starts at 1945, with food available from 1815. There will be a minimum contribution of £2.00 per person for the talk, all money raised goes back into the project, so please feel free to give generously.
Join us on Social Media:
Like Project Scaramouche on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ProjectScaramouche/?fref=ts
Follow GCA Sailing on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GCASailingClub
#ProjectScaramouche